Financial Decisions After the Loss of a Loved One

The passing of a loved one is a very difficult time. On top of the emotional challenges, there are decisions to be made and financial related tasks to be done.  Often, having a checklist can make overwhelming tasks easier to manage. 

Consider the following as you prepare your own list that fits your personal circumstances. 

  • Order death certificates through the funeral home.  Determine if extra ones are needed for life insurance policies, financial institutions, and income sources.
  • A surviving spouse may be eligible for increased monthly benefits and a one-time death benefit of $255.  Contact the Social Security Administration if applicable.
  • If your loved one was receiving veteran benefits or other governmental benefits, notify the appropriate agencies.  You may be entitled to survivor’s benefits.
  • Notify income sources and determine eligibility for any death or survivor benefits.
  • Contact your bank, credit union, broker and other financial institutions concerning any individual and joint accounts.  Determine the ownership of CD’s, bonds, IRA’s, and savings accounts.  Request date of death values for investments.
  • If there are life insurance policies, contact the companies to request claim paperwork, or to update beneficiaries on your polices.
  • Update your Durable Power of Attorney and your Health Care Power of Attorney documents if the deceased loved one was designated as your agent.
  • Notify the health, renter’s, automobile, and long-term care insurance carriers to cancel coverage for your loved one.
  • Notify creditors, including financial institutions and department stores. You may want to cancel any credit cards in the deceased’s name and destroy the cards.
  • Contact agencies or companies regarding changing the name on any titles including motor vehicles, real estate, or a recreational vehicle.
  • Contact your tax preparer to get help in preparing for the next tax filing season.

Depending on your loved one’s estate plan, you may need to contact an attorney before moving forward to ensure compliance with a will or trust.  Your attorney can   also help you determine whether an inheritance tax return and/or a probate will be required and can often provide assistance in completing all necessary tasks to settle an estate.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks related to your finances?

Want to feel that burden lifted?

Willamette View Foundation can help.

You may already know that we pay the way for residents who are no longer able to meet their living costs at Willamette View.  However, there is more to our service to residents than providing subsidy.

We are a constant source of comfort and relief from the burden of following up on income and benefits, paying bills, balancing checkbook, straightening out billings and balances, matching up medical bills and insurance explanations of benefits, and monitoring credit card statements, just to name a few.  We also consolidate and summarize all the information needed by the tax preparer in order to complete both Federal and Oregon individual tax returns for residents.

Our services are provided using a Durable Power of Attorney prepared by your attorney.  We provide you with a detailed report each quarter so you’ll stay informed about your financial activities.

These services can be provided to residents receiving direct subsidy as well as those participating in our financial tasks management services program.  Both groups of residents receive assistance that is designed to provide peace of mind and financial security; it’s golden!

 

Holiday Closures

The Willamette View Foundation office will be closed on the following holidays so that we can spend time with our family and friends.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

President’s Day:  Monday, February 19

Memorial Day:  Monday, May 27

Independence Day:  Thursday, July 4

Labor Day:  Monday, September 2

Reminder…our normal business hours are Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday by Appointment Only.

Resident Programs Created for You

For many years residents have been comforted by the existence of Willamette View Foundation.   The Foundation was specifically created to help residents and now stands strong with $20 million in assets.  Our funds have accumulated for over 50 years and have come from donors who wanted to support residents in need.

Our Financial Assistance Program will pay your living costs if your resources are depleted through no fault of your own.  This program helps residents enjoy life without the worry of outliving their assets and is available at no cost to the community.

In addition, Willamette View Foundation has a special policy for financial assistance for married couples.  The policy is designed to allow the partner who moves to the Health Center the opportunity to apply for financial assistance. This leaves the other half of their assets for the “well partner” to use for his or her lifetime.

If you anticipate that you may need financial assistance at some time in the future, feel free to reach out any time so we can provide additional information about how the Financial Assistance Program works.  Often this conversation can provide some comfort to you and your family members.

Willamette View Foundation also supports residents who need help managing their day-to-day bills.  If your bills, financial documents, and taxes are stacking up and overwhelming you, let us help.  We do this for residents free of charge.  We provide quarterly reports to keep you updated on your finances and we also accumulate and summarize information for your tax preparer.  Give us a call for more info.

 

If I am receiving assistance from Willamette View Foundation, how are my expenses paid?

Each month your medical expenses, insurance premiums, and a personal allowance are paid first from the monthly income you receive.  Then, any remaining income is applied toward your room and board charges.  The Foundation will pay the balance of your  Willamette View charges out of our Financial Assistance Fund.

In addition, Willamette View Foundation may pay necessary medical expenses if they are in excess of your monthly income.

Contact the Willamette View Foundation office at 971.233.8956 if you want more details about how our financial assistance program works.

 

Protect yourself

Ways to reduce your chances of losing money to scammers

Scammers never rest; they continue to come up with new ways to trick us.  Stay alert, especially whenever you are using technology.  Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message asking you to update or verify personal or account information.  Be cautious of things you receive in the mail as well.  Store your passwords securely.

Your Phone…Don’t rely only on caller ID to confirm someone’s identity.  Look up the company’s phone number through a legitimate source like a statement or letter provided by the company, and don’t use the number a  potential scammer is providing.  Text messages are the new way scammers get you to engage. If you get a text from a phone number you don’t recognize that gives an urgent message to respond, do not respond.

Your Wallet… Clean out your wallet on a regular basis. Remove cards you don’t need to carry.  Throw away any unnecessary items.  Store copies of your cards and important items in a safe place in your home.  Keep in mind, the more cards you carry the more calls you will have to make to have them canceled if your wallet is stolen; and a thief will have more of your personal information.

Computer… Do not open attachments or click on links from people or businesses you do not completely trust.  Secure your online accounts with a strong password and change it regularly.  Use two-factor authentication for secure websites that you use often.

Financial Accounts… Never send funds to anyone until you can confirm that the payment destination is legitimate.  Regularly review the incoming and outgoing transactions on your bank and account statements to make sure you recognize every listed transaction.  Report any incorrect transactions immediately.

                                              

 

Willamette View Foundation’s “Resident Inflation Offset Grant Program” is off to a great start!

In January the Willamette View Foundation Board of Directors kicked off the “2023 Resident Inflation Offset Grant Program” to help those of you at Willamette View that are impacted the most by increasing costs and economic challenges.

The program gives a grant to each resident who is on a fixed income with $400,000 or less in net worth excluding personal property ($800,000 for couples).

It’s a one-time grant of $5,000 to Independent and Assisted Living residents and $10,000 to Health Center residents. The program is for Willamette View residents for the calendar year 2023.

Obtaining this grant is simple and quick and happily many residents have already applied and received their grant check.

If you would like to receive a grant, please request a form by contacting Willamette View Foundation at 971-233-8956. We will send you a form to complete and return to us. All we need is your name, address, phone number, signature, and date. It’s that easy. No other information is required and there are no strings attached.

Ways we’ve helped in the past…

Other ways we’ve helped in the past…

Willamette View Foundation has been able to give $3,000,000 to help the Willamette View community over the past 20 years. 

We funded these projects on the Willamette View campus that directly impact resident lives:   

$1,000,000 contributed to the Riverview Dining Project.

$469,000 for Elevator, Auditorium, and Restroom Upgrades.

$286,000 for remodel of Court Library.

$130,000 for Buses; 10 passenger and 12 passenger shuttle buses.

$60,000 in startup funds for the Artworks Studio.

$125,000 for the replacement of Riverview Dining Room chairs.

$344,000 for remodel of Terrace Library, Office, and Reception.

$311,000 for the Personal Help Button campus-wide system.

$170,000 contributed to the startup of the Wellness Center.

$134,000 for Auditorium & Sound System upgrades and In-House Cable System.

 

 

Willamette View Foundation was incorporated in 1967

Willamette View Foundation was incorporated in 1967

We are a non-profit corporation, separate from Willamette View, Inc., that is dedicated to the residents of the Willamette View retirement community.  We have always been focused on residents and in 1969 we started providing financial assistance to Willamette View residents.  Since then, we’ve paid nearly $11 million in Willamette View charges for residents.

Your safety net …

  • Helping residents whose funds have been exhausted, by paying the portion of their Willamette View living costs that their monthly income does not cover. 
  • Providing financial assistance to residents at no cost to other residents.
  • A free resource available to you as a resident of the Willamette View retirement community.

Our resources have come from donations, bequests, proceeds from resident activities, and earnings on our investments.

We do not have any other source of funds.  We do not receive any portion of resident entrance fees.  In 1981 we received the balance of their endowment fund from Willamette View, Inc. which totaled $180,879.  That contribution was tagged for Resident Assistance and brought our assets to $555,887.   In 1985 we celebrated reaching $1,000,000 in assets and that was after having provided $750,000 in assistance.

Willamette View Foundation was created for You

Willamette View Foundation is a free assistance service that is here to help pay the way for residents who are no longer able to meet their living costs at Willamette View and to assist       residents with managing their daily bills.  If you are running out of money or struggling to keep up with your finances, please know Willamette View Foundation is here to help you.

Our programs are funded by resources that have been accumulated and safeguarded for over 50 years.  They have come from donors, investment returns, and in the past, even resident activities on campus supported our Resident Assistance Fund.

Willamette View Foundation’s assistance program offers Willamette View residents a source of comfort and relief from the burden of following up on income and benefits, paying bills, balancing a checkbook, straightening out billings and balances, matching up medical bills and insurance paperwork, and monitoring credit card statements.  The Foundation prepares quarterly reports for residents to review and keep abreast of their finances. We also consolidate and summarize all the information needed by the tax preparer to complete both Federal and Oregon individual tax returns.

These functions are available to residents receiving a direct subsidy as well as those participating in our management services program.  Both groups of residents receive assistance that is designed to provide peace of mind and financial security.  For some, the Foundation is the one place they know they can turn when they are not able to manage on their own, for others, it’s time to let go of those financial concerns.